The Prince of Central Park

When my brother and I were kids and got to go to the video store (always a sacred journey) we usually picked comedy & action films. If it starred a cast member from Saturday Night Live's first five years you can bet we brought it home (Belushi & Aykroyd, Chevy Chase & so on). The Star Wars trilogy was rented hundreds of times, as was the James Bond series... for little kids in the 80's, we considered ourselves pretty cool.

One Saturday we're driven upstate to a sleepover at our Uncle's. It's now almost 1990, and he's taken the liberty of renting a movie for my brother, myself, and my cousin to watch. It's "The Prince Of Central Park," and the eye-rolling began immediately. Our conservative Uncle had intentionally avoided mainstream Hollywood fare and had sought out a G-rated made-for-TV movie from 1977! In the words of my twelve year-old self, "Yuzz..." We couldn't even get out of it... he joined the three of us on the couch and pressed PLAY.

And then something funny happened... instead of the toothless, wholesome hayride I expected I found myself watching an engaging, wistful drama about a boy who runs away from his abusive foster home to find his birth mother. He makes a home for himself in the trees of Central Park and meets some eccentric old people who turn out to be just as unhappy- and restless- as he is. This movie is sweet, and romantic, in every sense of the word. Ruth Gordon is wonderful as always, and though I'm fuzzy on the exact ending, I'm pretty sure I had to hold back the tears so no one would see I was crying.

Imagine a TV movie that isn't designed to shock, offend, or target a particular demographic... a movie whose sole purpose is not to earn it's lead actors Emmy nominations... try and picture a film that's gentle and imaginative... a movie about children and the elderly that treats both groups as intelligent human beings with hearts and souls. I know it's tough to imagine but I guess they really did make them this way. Too bad it was before my time too...

I can't speak about the mainstream Hollywood re-make of 2ooo... I never saw it. Not interested. But if you ever get the chance to see this once-in-a-lifetime find I would advise you not to miss it... you will never forget it.

GRADE: A

In response to the last comment, this is the movie that was previously described. You are thinking of a late 90s film of the same name. This charming film shows the young and old as disenfranchised kindred spirits. It develops into quite a tear-jerker. If you ever get a chance to see this film, I would think you would agree it's a nice little story.

I remember watching this film one afternoon in the UK many years ago. I don't know exactly when but I know it was a very long time ago, as in my recollection the lead character J.J. was quite a mature young adult. Having just re-watched it for the first time since then just the other day I was very surprised to discover that he was just a little kid! Clearly I was significantly younger than him when I saw this back then. Anyway, I suppose the important thing is that, despite all the years in between, I actually remembered this one quite well and recalled some scenes pretty clearly. The story is very straightforward and has two orphan kids flee from their uncaring foster home and wind up living in a secret tree house in the middle of New York's Central Park. They soon begin communicating with a lonely elderly woman by way of leaving written messages on a park bench. The intervention of a local mugger brings events out in the open, so to speak.

Revisiting The Prince of Central Park after what must be thirty five years was a very pleasant experience. This was a film made at a time when American TV movies were really rather good. This one is a fine example of a family movie that easily appeals to adults too. Its brother and sister duo make for very appealing central characters. And of course we also have the always brilliant Ruth Gordon, as the woman who befriends them. The story is about love between a brother and sister. It's also about the idea that the children and elderly woman ultimately share similar fears and that some problems are universal. It's very touching and remains a hidden gem of a movie. Someone really needs to give it some kind of release on DVD, as this is one that will always have a certain appeal.

Super movie. Well acted, nicely paced. On of my favourite movies of all time.

We watched this movie on TV when I visited Miami as a kid in 1977.

I remember it to this day and would love to find a copy.

The two main characters hide out in central park (which as a child I had no idea how big it actually was) and create their own reality.

Along the way they encounter threats to their secret hiding place.

They also have to make a decision as to whether they keep their secret and watch an injustice or defend someone and be exposed.

A brilliant family film.

As the other reviewers have noted - this film is about the love between the brother and sister.

If anyone finds a copy - let me know - would love to watch this with my kids.